Principal with Gulf Coast roots leads rally for stricken schools

GROVELAND -- After Hurricane Katrina pounded the Gulf Coast, Dale Delpit took a trip to a familiar place: Bay St. Louis, Miss. He checked on his father and other relatives and saw the devastation wreaked on the city where he grew up.

"It was unbelievable," said Delpit, principal of Groveland Elementary School for the past nine years.

The destruction reminded him of Hurricane Camille, which battered the coast in 1969, when he was 10 years old. As a kid, he attended North Bay Elementary, which was destroyed by Katrina. After returning to Lake County, Delpit knew he had to do something. He and others at Groveland Elementary came up with an idea: They would adopt Delpit's old school. A committee was formed and established various fundraising activities throughout the school year.

"Our intent is to be there all year round," he said.

Once things got rolling at Groveland Elementary, Delpit reached out to Leesburg and Tavares high schools and Triangle and Eustis Heights elementary schools to adopt other schools in the area.

At Groveland Elementary, more than 1,000 pounds of items in about 100 boxes have been donated in the past month or so. The collected clothes, shoes, books, school supplies, backpacks, toys and stuffed animals. Recently, donations were pulled out of closets and other storage areas, including classrooms, to be sorted by students, teachers, staff and parents.

Fifth-grader Miranda Wilson, 11, pulled bags of items from the storage area in the cafeteria. She said she wanted to help those who had lost so much from Katrina and hopes all she and others are doing will lift their spirits.

"It will change their lives because they'll know that other people around the world care about them," she said.

Parent Kerri Leininger of Groveland sorted through bags upon bags of clothing.

"I just wanted to help out," she said. "I feel compelled to do something."

Delpit said he was "overwhelmed" by the show of support.

Each month during the rest of the school year includes either a fundraising event or activity to help North Bay Elementary, said Michelle Sorrells, a committee member and second-grade teacher.

A penny drive is in progress, and Groveland Elementary students, their parents and staff will sell T-shirts depicting both school mascots and send one to North Bay for each one sold here. Students are corresponding with each other through postcards and e-mails.

Sorting will continue once a month, she said. So far, $1,770 has been collected to help with the cost of shipping, and grants are being sought to help cover that cost as well.

Donna Torres, donations coordinator for the Bay St. Louis-Waveland school district, said the outpouring of support from communities throughout the nation has been "wonderful."

"The support and concern the school [Groveland Elementary] has shown for us has really helped us on keeping our spirits up and our hopes alive," Torres said.

There are six schools in the district serving a total of 2,500 to 2,600 students, she said. North Bay Elementary will be demolished.

Torres said at least 14 portables will be set up by Nov. 1, and she is expecting 60 percent of the school's students to return. By January she said she is hoping 100 percent will be back. For now, class is conducted in a "tent school."

Meanwhile, Eustis Heights Elementary adopted Waveland Elementary, which served 320 students before the hurricane. For the past three or four weeks, students, faculty and staff have donated more than $1,000 through various fundraising projects.

"As a school, we try to instill good morals and character in the children," Principal Mollie Cunningham said. "One of the things we try to teach them is they have an obligation to help others."

A student donated his birthday money, more than $50, to Waveland Elementary students, Cunningham said.

"It just goes to show that some of the children are really thinking about it," she said. "It's really neat."

Tavares High School Principal Kathy Tatro said her school has not officially adopted one of the schools in Bay St. Louis yet, but plans are in the works to do so next semester.

Nancy Velez, principal of Leesburg High School, could not be reached for comment.

Marsha Bradshaw, site coordinator of the Extended Learning Center at Triangle Elementary in Mount Dora, jumped at the chance to help those in need. She said the center adopted Second Street Elementary, a fourth- and fifth-grade elementary school that served 435 to 450 students before the hurricane.

One fundraiser included the entire school, Bradshaw said, and generated $835 -- more than the goal of $777, which would have been $1 for everyone in the school. Future activities include food, book and school-supplies drives, she said.

"So far, the people who have been involved have been very helpful," Bradshaw said. "We are using this as a service-learning project."

Delpit was in awe of the support for Bay St. Louis schools.

"I'm completely appreciative of the Lake County schools and their willingness to jump in and support this effort," he said. "What I'm most proud of is the willingness of our kids wanting to help the other kids of our sister school in their time of need."